Inspectah Deck, 7L & Esoteric use '90s East Coast Hip Hop as a blueprint to innovate, creating an album that is refreshingly progressive.

As much as we praise the virtues instituted in Hip Hop’s golden era, there is increasing proof that East Coast, sample-based music filled with complex rhymes and similes is being relegated to a subgenre. Samples are becoming too expensive to clear. Major media outlets are rewarding artists for simplifying their sound while catering to the lowest common denominator. And, perhaps most troubling, artists that thrived in the '90s spend more time complaining about all the above instead of ushering in the kind of sonic and technical innovations that once made them so dominant. This is the climate 7L, Esoteric and Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck step into for the release of their CZARFACE project.

For an album that pays homage to pop culture references and an ethos from nearly two decades ago, CZARFACE is refreshingly progressive. Make no mistake; this is very much insular, headphone music. Esoteric and Deck treat rapping as an art form, as each verse plays out like verbal calisthenics. And 7L may very well be the MVP of the trio, with production that makes everyone involved bring their best bars. Ghostface Killah shuts down “Savagely Attack” with threats to “attack like a nigga on bath salts” and “leave ‘em broom-sticked in the asshole.” But you can more or less say the same for any of the 14 tracks on the album; because 7L flawlessly weaves together clips from Uptown Saturday Night(“Cement 3’s”) old WWF matches (“It’s Raw”) and anywhere else he pleases to compliment the abundance of obscure pop culture references from Esoteric and Inspectah Deck.

Punchline Rap may have very well died at the turn of the millennium. And we can only hope the lazy Hashtag Rap that replaced it suffers a similar fate. Rebel INS and Eso deftly avoid either trap, sticking to their comfort zone of references including Spiderman, Star Wars, Snooki of “Jersey Shore” fame and the middling TBS sitcom “Cougar Town.” Deck appeared to lose steam on 2010’s Manifesto, but his work on CZARFACE should have Wu stans salivating at the thought of his upcoming Rebellion and a 20th anniversary Wu-Tang Clan reunion album. When backed by the proper production, he has no peers when it comes to the opening verse of a rhyme. Esoteric will similarly put in a bid for one of the most underrated emcees with lines like “sacrilegious like a Tebow tackle” on “It’s Raw.”

While he steps away from the boards to make room for DJ Premier on “Let It Off,” 7L does a masterful job of crafting tracks that allow the emcees on the album to find their comfort zone without becoming repetitive. The production is dark and aggressive while still keeping the BPMs at an exciting rate.

Overall, CZARFACE has no major flaws. It’s obviously not for everyone, yet even when incorporating current critical favorites like Action Bronson and Mr. MFN eXquire, no compromises are made. Inspectah Deck, 7L & Esoteric use '90s East Coast Hip Hop as a blueprint to innovate, and ultimately, that’s what made that era so special in the first place.

147 Comments

untouch

Anonymous

FLiPDaps

5 Stars Best Rap Album of the year- knocking opponents out of the ring. INS thank you for not walking away from the game just yet. 7L endless props. Esoteric is one cold ass individual, his spit will melt your ears and face while he swings sledgehammers at other rappers heads. What a combination these 3 are and then you get the great collaboration of other emcees and one of the greatest producers of all time.
5.5/5

Anonymous

Anonymous

This is insane damn near a year after its come out. Savagely Attack, Cement 3s, Poisonous Thoughts, Dead Zone, Let It Off, Its Raw... All those cuts are nasty. Rebel INS and Eso really tear it up throughout delivering crazy verses. And all the other MC guest appearances followed suit, especially Ghostface on Savagely Attack. 7L's production on this was crazy, though. He really came through. Definitely a future classic.

Anonymous

Louie Amp

Anonymous

This what hip hop is about. Beats and rhymes. MCing is an art and it should be treated as such.
My jam is "Savagely Attack." Deck opened it like only he could...
"I'm sickly, flow quarantined by the CDC.
Heads nod, pressure on your neck like a DDT.
Beats street Ramo, spittin on your name.
Lines travel underground like its written on the train."
That's MCing kids.

onit

Anonymous

Definite 90s throwback. A lot of the beats sound like all those Wu albums that came out like 36 Chambers, Tical, OBFCL, Ironman, Liquid Swords, etc. And of course Deck and Eso come with the heat. Couldn't really ask for more. This is real rap.

LG

Freddo

xxl

The six billionth living person in the world has just been born. Napster has started to live off the supple flesh of the music industry. Slick Willie has been putting his willie in all the wrong places. The year is 1999, and hip-hop is alive and well.
The Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck, along with fabled Bostonians 7L & Esoteric, stumbled upon a time machine, and instead of busting a cap in Hitler, hooking up with Marilyn Monroe, or, investing stock in Apple, they chose to return to the 1-9-9-9. And their warped, sample-heavy captain's log has taken on the form of CZARFACE.
As Deckwhose very mention pulls our minds back to days of yorestates, "CZARFACE is a vigilante, anti-hero[whose] focus is on annihilating the media darlings that the mainstream caters to." We slowly meet 'FACE by the sounds that not only defined the era to which Deck, Esoteric, and 7L harken to, but that come to define this 14-track time warp. In one minute and 16 seconds, the length of the album's intro, we see CZARFACE rise from the collective ashes of '99 to breathe life into what we thought could only live on in memory. But by the time you've reached the boom-bapping on roids that is "Hazmat Rap," you'll be going through nostalgia withdrawals.
Mention of the '90s, hip-hop's supposed last golden era, might make some queeze, and for good reason. Hip-hop purists have long sucked on the decade like a warm thumb, afraid of the cold, mean world that lay ahead. But CZARFACE, also the name for Deck and co.'s group, keeps matters as fresh. The album's marqueewith names like Roc Marciano, Action Bronson, and Mr. MFN eXquireassures just that. "Cement 3's,""Its Raw," and "Poisonous Thoughts"listed in the order of appearance of the guests mentionedcome off as love letters rather than industry rub-offs. If the above trio were operating in the late '90s, they'd be dropping similar heat.
Throughout, 7L can only be described as a "Rock Beast," as he brings a consistency and ferociousness to the CZARFACE sound that comes off best in the track of the same name. It's not often that another producer beats DJ Premier at his own game, but everything 7L brings to the table trumps the bland sound of Primo's guest spot "Let It Off." Whether paired with rooks like eXquire or dropping skewered brilliance on tracks like "CZAR Refaeli," "Savagely Attack," and "Shoguns" alongside vets like Oh No, Ghostface, Cappadonna, and Vinnie Paz, 7L plays Han Solo to the ship that is CZARFACE. And it surely doesn't hurt that he has two very capable wingmen, in Deck and Esoteric, on either side of him.
Like the year 1999, pray that this isn't the last time we hear from CZARFACE.

Anonymous

K

Rokurota

Haven't been digging music for a while and I got extremely excited when I stumbled upon this review. I enjoyed the video to "Air 'em out" and decided to buy "Czarface". Thank You Rebel INS and 7L & Eso for this dope album! Also thx to Omar for this well written review. At first sight a real underdog project but with the potential to be a true classic!

Gatekeeper

DrewDown91

You sons of bitches better be right. Currently downloading the album, and I paid for it. I never felt any of Deck's solo shit. 7L & ES had some really good shit. Soul Purpose was good, but over-produced at times. Dangerous Connection 1 was by far their best and most cohesive project. I copped 12 12 but it did not have any really memorable tracks, just a decent effort. Guess I bought all their shit, a New Dope was the only one I dubbed. Show respect to the underground. Buy a record. Peace.

Rekcus

Aim80

This album is SOOO goddamn good, I can't even fucking stand it sometimes!! Every single track's a banger, and while 7L & Eso and Deck have ALL been fantastic in their own rights, for years, this is their best shit and I think they each pulled the best out of each other. They are SUCH a perfect pair (and trio as a whole) but even 12th Chamber off the 1212 album wasn't this hard. Everything is just so tight and I cant say enough good things about this album... well fucking DONE gentlemen >: )

Sonny

STREEZY

For y'all that are just learning who 7L and Esoteric are because of Inspectah Deck, yall gotta listen to their music. They're some of the best in the underground. And the other thing I wanted to say is, 7L's production on THIS is actually weak as hell compared to his older shit on their albums, that's why I'm saying listen to their shit!

bizzalls

Real talk, man. If you've never heard of 7L & Esoteric before you gotta check their albums out. 7L is an ill producer and Esoteric is a good emcee. He's in the Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs with Apathy, Celph Titled, Vinnie Paz, all of them...

Anonymous

Mike

Plenty of bangers, a bit of filler, but overall a great release. I think this is more a love letter to 90s Pete Rock / Primo-backed battle rap than a rehash. I saw some interviews with the trio from when the album was being recorded and it was clear that they were all psyched to do a project that let them flex in the ways they knew best. 7L's production is excellent as always, Esoteric, while never inventing the wheel, never deviates from channeling his inner G Rap like a champ and Deck is sounding hungrier than he has in at least 15 years!

Anonymous

DEAL

MF Doom is the most retarded rapper on the planet, the fuck are you saying? MF Doom is a good PRODUCER, not a rapper! What the fuck is he saying when he raps? It's like he just says stuff that rhymes but makes no sense. FOH.

zikurats

Anonymous

Anonymous

jessemp3

Great hip hop album and Deck is still on top of hip hop with his explosive, hard hitting, underground fucking flow. I love when real music like this comes out and I can't get enough of it. Keep firing them darts Deck cause hip hop needs you. Wu-Tang IS Forever! Peace

Anonymous

Anonymous

Rain

WTF, I'm not even a Inspectah deck fan but this shit is INSANELY GOOD! I have no idea who 7L & Esoteric is but they work good together. The Beats on here are Sinister, kind of remind me of Doom shit. The Features on here are well implemented, Ghost, ROC, Action killed it!

abu_maryam

where my killa tape

Ghostface Killah And Inspectah deck my 2 fav in wu tang this shit dont come out here till 4 th march but im wait till i get it off amazon aint gonna download it gotta support real hip hop and from what i heard plus the first track they put out this shit gon be real nice

Anonymous

smn

will

Anonymous

esoteric is wack and has been wack for like 15 years. really corny voice and flow and his lyrics are geek shit.
deck is a legend and one of the nicest spitters ever in my opinion. gonna check this out fast foward through esoteric. i really did like the single with roc marciano, made me want a deck and roc album.